Technical how much to charge for oil change - Help

I have a guy who is 80 years old, he wants me to change oil in his 1929 Ford Model A pickup.

I am not sure what I should charge, I will be changing engine oil, Transmission oil, and Rear end oil.
what should I charge for this, I am thinking $30 for engine/$30 for tranny/ $30 for rear end.

I will also be testing his Generator and or taking it off of the truck and taking it to have it tested or rebuilt. may cost him about $250 if it needs to be rebuilt, but I will have to disconnect it and take it to and from the shop for him. not sure what I should charge for this.

I am not trying to gouge him, just want it to be fair.

 

Why don't you do it Free? I am serious

 

I wouldn't charge him a dime. HRP

 

Same as the above.......

 

Don't know your's or the owners financial situation, he may be well funded. Why don't you do it for cost of the parts plus a 6 pack of beer? Which of course you would drink with him while you do the work and as you admire the car after the work is finished. Sounds like a great Saturday afternoon to me.

 

I don't know your situation. Are you a shop? If it's a neighbor and you are doing okay financially I'd also say free. If you're a shop I'd do it free just for the goodwill and an old car in front of your place would attract traffic.

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How much should we charge you for the advice we give you? As said above, charge for the materials and make him hang around and tell you stories while you do the work.

 

30.00 to pull a drain plug and pour oil in???? Times three? That's probably 1/2 hour total worth of work if you're doing it on your back. less if you have a lift. So if your rate is 180.00/hour I guess that's about right

 

The guy is 80 years old, give him a break!! Engine pan has a drain, trans has a drain plug and rear has a drain plug. All have easy fill points. Couldn't be easier. On a Model A, you don't even need a jack. If it takes you more than a half hour something is wrong. Tell him what oil and lube to buy and just do it.

 

he is very well off, but that does not matter, my time and labor is all that is used. may take me an hour or two. I came up with the price from the 2 shops that said they would do the work for $30 each. I do want to be nice and not rude about it. we live in San Diego, Camifornia so all the prices are inflated for rich people.

I think $50 would be fair for my time. he is not one to stand around and swap stories, he tells you what to do and leaves and expects it done when he returns. so its not a neighbor, he is a guy I met at a local cruise who wants me to do the work for him.

 

Is this your trade? Do you have a garage, not a home garage, but public?
If he's just a fellow you met at a show and you're going to do this perhaps in the process having an 80 year old friend...easy work...if you do it for free my thought is he would repay you in kind. Doing it out of kindness, assuming he won't take advantage, he most likely will repay you more than you would charge. If it were me I would simply have the receipts for fluids and generator work to give him. He will reimburse you for that then let him decide what's fair. I would provide free labor.

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If you want to do it, then do it for free. If you don't want to do it, kindly tell him you don't want to do it.

 

Just wait until you reach that age...or maybe NO ONE will speak by that time.

 

another damn good reason NOT to live in Calif..

 

I'm 81 and still do my own oil and grease work.
But...I have a hoist in my garage.

 

I hear free from everyone, but lets talk about free, why would you do something for free if someone is willing to pay for your services? I am a mobile detailer as a side gig, this is why people ask me to do work on their vehicles. they know I do good work and take pride in it.

however, he is a regular guy not a friend. but yes, I do want to help keep this old ride on the road as well as make sure Mr. Old guy gets to enjoy his ride with little worry.

but free is not a term I live by, I have a wife and kid, gas, labor, time to take generator to electrical shop across town. ya know, there is some expenses on my side.
gas in Comifornia = $3.70 per gallon. so driving to someones house is a choice, you better want to go there or your gas tank will kick you in the nuts.

 

Around here, Northeast PA, the standard is $35 oil change. Even new car dealerships charge about that. 5 quarts of oil and a filter. It is a loss leader to get you in the door to look for more work. Do the math.. $4/quart plus $3-$10 for a filter plus mechanic time plus oil disposal. It is a losing deal. The trans and rear might be a bit more depending on things.

 

Sounds like you have answered your own question.

 

Shop oil changes are expensive in Cal due to all the regs, In order to change oil (unlimited) its a $700 permit fee, you have to show records of waste oil pickup and a laundry service for shop rags. But anybody can change their own oil by the curbside and dump the waste and filter in a trashcan

 

Keep track of your time and charge accordingly.
I charge 70 buck an hour.

 

An 80yr old guy with some money and a 1929 pickup knows many other 80yr old dudes with old cars and money.... See where i am going with this?
He supplies materials and you do the first one for free for him... Do a good job and make him want to send all his friends your way...and you can charge all of them... Sometimes you have to cultivate a relationship to get the big pay off.
If it were me I would be willing to risk some time and a $50 profit to bring in 4 or 5 (or more) clients.
Like you say... "it's business"
If you do it one time and nothing comes of it, you have done a good deed and banked some good karma.
YMMV
Chappy

 

If you can't do it for free tell him to take it to WAL-MART . It will be same quality & much much less. I'm 84+ & would do it for him in a minute & Yeah I have expenses also.

 

Charge him and be done with it. I am 69 years old and expect to pay for something when I have it done. If you do it for free every other freeloader in the world with an old car will be calling you expecting their work to be free also.
Supposing one bolt is cross threaded, now your free job becomes a nightmare.
I ran a shop for years and every one who came through the door expected me to do extra work and not charge for it. That's why I am scuffling to get the money to finish my car. Because I was the nice guy who did a lot of free work.
Just because he is 80 does not mean he can't be an 80 year old asshole.

 

Yup I would expect to get paid, I charge half of shop rate for labor when I work from home and I mark up parts to cover running to pick them up etc. and yes I’m a journeyman mechanic.


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Do it for 75.00.....

 

I did my moms oil change this morning.
Oil and filter was $12.99 . It's mom and I can't charge her plus we had coffee too but it's hard to make the light bill on oil changes at $35.00. There's signs all over for $17.99 oil changes and Those guys also get $235.00 for 1 tie rod end and an alignment.

 

I might do it for free or cheap now if I liked the guy cause I'm retired with several socialism checks coming every month. A few years ago, no. Self-employed most of my life...........you gotta make a fuckin living.

I do plenty of free kinda stuff now, but it's for people less well off than I am.

 

25/hr. forget the freebies.

 

I need my oil changed, which one of you "free" people, would like to come over and change it for me?

 

Check the price of oil first. I changed the oil in my car on Saturday and, no lie, it cost me $44 to 6 quarts of Motorcraft oil and a Motorcraft filter. Those were no more expensive than other brands. I guess they are jacking the prices due to the rising (now falling) price of oil. I could have had it done at the dealer cheaper if I wanted to wait.